iBuilt a Masterpiece
by poetryknight
Summary: One work of art years in the making is about to be unveiled....
1. The Problem With Doors

Finally! I'm almost done with all the chapters of this one, so I feel it's safe to start posting now. I got the idea a long time ago and am just now putting it down. It's….different. But awesome! Enjoy!

**A/N: I do not own iCarly; Dan does a way awesome job ;)**

**Chapter One: The Problem With Doors**

I awoke to the sound of my Pac-Rat clock radio's blaring alarm. I looked at the time - 10 a.m.! I must have overslept! I jumped up from my bed - and promptly fell hard to the floor in a wild tangle of sheets and limbs. After a few moments of wrestling with my sheets, I raced to get dressed. Today was the day!

What day you ask? Well, allow me to explain. You see, today was a day that no one believed would happen. And honestly, it wouldn't have, if not for my utter genius! Today was the day that -

"Spencer!" Uh-oh. That was Carly. I threw on my shirt and ran out to the front room. Carly was there with Sasha. You know, Sasha Striker, well, Sasha Shay now- did I mention we got married? Crazy, right? Anyway, that's really not the point here, I just have a habit of getting off topic. Like that time T-Bo asked me what kind of smoothie I wanted, and I told him a Blueberry Blitz because of the time my friend Socko -

"Spencer! Sam will be here any minute! Stop staring into space and go get Freddie!" I snapped out of my inner monologue. Was I talking to myself? No worries, I had a job to do!

"Right!" I answered quickly and rushed to the door. I reached out for the doorknob when - WHAM! - I got a face full of door. Man, this just wasn't my day! As I groaned in pain on the floor, Gibby stepped in.

"Hey, is Sam here yet?" he asked Carly

"Not yet, but she will be soon. And, uh…" Carly motioned toward my crumpled body,.

"Dude," Gibby said, looking down at me "You get a new carpet?"

"Thank you, I'm fine" I replied sarcastically. Gibby helped me back to my feet. Sasha came over to comfort me. She's so sweet.

"Aw, is my Spence okay?" she said, and placed a kiss on my forehead.

"I am now" I said, then turned to Gibby. "No thanks to the door ninja." Gibby just grinned.

"You and Gibby go over to Freddie's. Hurry!" Carly pressed. I gave Sasha a quick peck, grabbed Gibby and bolted out the door. As we rounded the corner to the main elevator, we nearly bulldozed over a small but ferocious blonde.

" Slow your chiz, guys,. Where's the fire?" she said

"Oh, hey Sam. Carly's waiting on you." I said to my little sister's best friend.

"Okay, cool. Hey, will you tell Freddie that-"

"No time to talk, gotta go!" I yelled and dragged Gibby to the elevator. Yeah, Freddie had moved out when he turned 20. There was a big drama between him and his mom about it, but she finally folded and he got his own place - two floors down.

Hey, it was an improvement.

We got to Freddie's door a few minutes later, after an unplanned detour to the basement (Gibby had to press ALL the buttons), and I got to knocking.

"FREDDIE!" Knock knock knock. "FREDDIE!" Knock knock knock. "FREDDIE!" Kno-

"Ow!" Was Freddie's response as my knocking fist connected with his face. I yanked my hand back quickly and silently scolded it before looking sheepishly up at Freddie and replying "Sorry, kiddo."

"That's okay, Spence. So have you guys talked to-"

"Alright! Fudge Balls!" Gibby exclaimed and pushed past Freddie into the apartment, knocking a half-eaten taco from Freddie's grasp on the way. He attacked a bowl of Fudge Balls sitting on the table like Sam attacked a Christmas ham. Freddie stared at his empty hand, and then at his delicious taco, now laying on the floor.

"You ready to go, kiddo?" I asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Freddie replied, still gazing sadly at the spicy meat in a hard corn shell. He walked over to Gibby and pulled him to the door. Gibby stuffed a few extra Fudge Balls into his cheeks along the way. "But, " Freddie continued. "You owe me half a taco."

_You owe me half a taco._ Those words sounded familiar. Oh no, I feel a flashback coming! Yeah, it's definitely getting fuzzy…oh boy, here we GOOOOoooooo…….

**Soooooo….. What did you think? The flashback is coming soon, and it reveals a little moment I discovered one day in a first season episode. Anyway, be sure to read my blog at spencer is my hero . Blogspot . C o m. **

**Read/ rate/ review! Thanks!**


	2. Flashback

**Back! Well, that wasn't long….anyway, here's the flashback. New chapters to be added every week, I promise, at least until the story's done. Enjoy!**

**A/N: words in italics are flashbacks.**

**Chapter Two: Flashback **

_I was feeling a little depressed. Of course, you would too if you were the mastermind behind a sign that read "Pee on Carl" (not to mention I lost half of the most delicious taco I had ever tasted!). Well, it was supposed to say "Please log on to ", but let's just say that me and electronics don't mix very well. I'm just glad it didn't catch on fire._

_Anyway, that little mishap caused one of the worst traffic jams in Seattle history. Luckily, officer Carl - yeah, I know, I get all the luck - let me off with a warning. After taunting me with cucumber melon lotion, he and his fellow officer left, and I turned to face my little sister Carly and her two friends, Sam and Freddie. They all looked oddly happy. _

_You see, their web show, iCarly, had just started not too long ago and we had paired up to think of ideas to get more viewers. Carly and Sam's idea was to hold a banner outside the window of Seattle Beat, a popular music show. I still laugh every time I think of them holding a multicolored, unreadable soggy banner against the window. Haha, those kids._

_Me and Freddie's idea was so cool. I originally wanted to use fireworks, until I discovered you can't spell words with them. Just goes to show that you can't trust everything you see on Girly Cow. So instead we were going to put up a large electronic sign next to the freeway, that thousands of people would see . Awesome idea, right?_

_I really should have known it was doomed to fail from the beginning. First, while demonstrating the importance of caution when dealing with electrical wiring, a jolt of energy was shot through my body (I told you me and electronics didn't get along). Then, the stupid sign nearly squished Freddie! But this was for iCarly, and to keep from having to touch Lewbert's wart - no matter how bad I actually wanted to. _

_The rest was pretty crazy. First the sign was too bright and caused a few wrecks. Then when I tried turning it off, it freaked out and wound up shutting off only some of the letters, leaving "Pee on Carl" on display for all to see. So now, yeah, I'm feeling depressed. _

_So why were these three happy? Both plans had failed miserably. Then they led me over to the computer. Carly was sitting in front of the monitor, Freddie to her left. As me and Sam walked over, Sam began to move next to Carly, but I, being the mastermind that I am, gave her a little push towards Freddie. I don't think she noticed it, or maybe she did, but I'm sure she appreciated it. _

_Why, you ask? Well allow me to explain. You see, ever since iCarly started, I had noticed these glances that Sam kept giving Freddie. I didn't think much of it at first, but then I noticed the way she acted when Freddie talked about his crush on Carly. Was that jealousy I detected? I naturally assumed that Sam had a crush on Freddie, though she would never admit it, and would likely do horrible, unspeakable things to me if I had asked her. So instead of saying anything, I decided to be subtle. Sometimes people just need a little push in the right direction._

_And sometimes that push needs to be literal._

"Spencer, hello? Anyone there?" I vaguely heard Freddie's voice pulling me out of my flashback. I snapped back to reality to find that we were already outside in the parking lot. Gibby still munched away on Fudge Balls, and Freddie stood in front of me, his hands on my shoulders as he shook me from my daydreams.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm….when did we get outside?" Freddie shot me a confused look, then rolled his eyes. Gibby approached slowly behind Freddie, who turned his head towards him. There was an awkward pause, and then Gibby wiped away the ring of chocolate around his mouth.

"You got any more Fudge Balls?"

"No!" Freddie said, and threw his hands in the air. "Spencer, we have to get to Deluxe Tux in half an hour! Let's go!"

"I'm on it!" I shouted, and took off towards my car. Well, Sasha's car, but she was letting me use it. All three of use couldn't fit on my motorcycle, you know. "Follow me!"

As I unlocked the door, Freddie and Gibby caught up. Gibby's jaw dropped, then he held back a laugh. Freddie just stared dumbly for a minute, then looked at me with a "you're joking" glare.

"We're taking _that?"_ he said, and Gibby burst into laughter, unable to hold it back anymore.

Some people are so mean.


	3. The Man With The Mustache

_Chapter Three: The Man With the Mustache___

"_**What's so funny?" I asked seriously as Gibby continued to laugh and a smile spread across Freddie's face.**_

"_**This is your car?" Freddie said, which triggered another loud chuckle from Gibby. **_

"_**Well, actually, it's Sasha's…" I replied, taking a look at the pink mini coupe. Gibby finally managed to stop laughing to chip in.**_

"_**How do you fit in that?" **_

"_**Well, I just scrunch my legs up a little and then I -That's not the point!" I yelled. Freddie and Gibby choked back more giggles. "Look, we have to go, so get in!"**_

"_**Why don't we take my car?" Freddie managed to say.**_

"_**Well, why don't we" I said in a mocking voice. Freddie shook his head in amusement, and led me and Gibby to his black corolla. **_

"_**Shotgun!" Gibby cried and bowled over me as he leapt into the front passenger side. I spun around and then threw my arms out wide. **_

"_**Dude!" I said and shot Gibby a quizzical look. I went to open the door, but Gibby hit the power locks before I could.**_

"_**Sorry, man. Too slow" Gibby said through a smile.**_

"_**Just get in the back, Spencer.. We're already late." Freddie said. I got into the back seat in a huff, and after several tries, finally got my seatbelt on. **_

"_**Everyone ready?" Freddie asked me and Gibby.**_

"_**If you can call it that" I said, pouting.**_

"_**Let's do this thang! AOOWW!" Gibby exclaimed, pounding on the dash. Freddie just stared.**_

"_**Oooookay." is all Freddie said, and then we were off. Deluxe Tux was about ten minutes away, and Gibby's attention span goes the extent of thirty seconds, so soon we were listening to Cuttlefish on the radio. Gibby found it appropriate to take his shirt off, stick his head out the window, and sing along to the his favorite song. So I did the only thing to do in that situation: joined in. **_

_**Which reminds me, I'd like to apologize for those two sweet old ladies beside us at that stoplight. I wish you never had to see that. **_

_**We pulled up to Deluxe Tux shortly, much to Gibby's disappointment (we had just gotten to his favorite part of the song). We piled out of the car and into the tuxedo store where we were greeted by a well-dressed man with one of the most awesome mustaches I had ever had the pleasure to witness. It looked like he belonged in a barbershop quartet; I couldn't help but stare in awe.**_

"_**Welcome to Deluxe Tux" the man said, then looked at me. "If there's anything I can do for you, just ask" he said slowly. His gaze then fell to Gibby, who was still shirtless. "Like a shirt, perhaps?"**_

"_**Hey" Gibby said, taking a step forward. "You got a problem with skin?" The man looked at Gibby, unsure of what to do. He looked at Freddie, who simply shrugged his shoulders. **_

"_**We're here to pick up a tux" Freddie finally broke in. The man nodded in understanding, then went to a desk and picked up a clipboard.**_

"_**Name?"**_

"_**Fredward Benson"**_

"_**Can I touch your mustache" I blurted out. Freddie, Gibby and the man looked at me. I shrank back a little. "I'll just go wait in the car" I said, and headed for the door. Before I got there, Gibby cut me off.**_

"_**Oh , no you don't. I know what you're up to."**_

"_**I just wanted to-"**_

"_**You just wanted the front seat. But that's Gibby's seat" Gibby said, pointing to himself with both thumbs. I returned his glare for a moment, then turned away and moved over next to Freddie. I looked at the man with the mustache.**_

"_**I will behave" **_

_**Freddie looked at me and rolled his eyes. He went back to talking to the man again, but I didn't hear anything of what they were saying because…well, because I was having another flashback. Jeez, not again….**_


	4. FlashbackAgain

**Chapter Four: Flashback…again**

_We were all super excited; we were going to Japan! How awesome was it that iCarly had been nominated for an iWeb award? Mega awesome, that's how awesome. Of course, Mrs. Benson wouldn't let Freddie go unless she tagged along - like I'm not a responsible adult! - but that was okay. I mean, we were going to Japan!_

_I was pretty positive by now that Sam liked Freddie. The way she acted when he went out with that rotten girl Valerie confirmed that. I thought it was so cute. Well, as cute as jealousy can be. _

_But there was something else I had noticed lately. Since they were in sixth grade, Freddie was constantly obsessing over Carly, making passes at her and numerous futile attempts to impress or woo her. But lately he had cooled off. Only occasionally did he hit on her, and he seemed to spend less time staring at her and more time staring at someone else. Someone with blonde hair…_

_I convinced myself that I was imagining it. I mean, I can understand Sam liking Freddie. They say when a girl constantly rags on a guy, it just means they have a crush on him, and there was plenty of ragging on Freddie on Sam's part. But there was no way that Freddie could like the girl who made it her job to make his life miserable. Right? Right. _

_Right?_

_Well, our trip to Japan didn't exactly go as planned. Being kidnapped by two evil Japanese web comics is something I usually try to avoid. Still, thanks to a little ingenuity by Freddie and some unknowingly cooperative security guards, iCarly won the award for a comedy series! Sweet! That wasn't the biggest development though. It seemed like Sam and Freddie's relationship was beginning to change. _

_I had noticed some sort of shift in the relationship ever since Sam and Carly both went after Freddie's friend, Shane. It seemed like maybe Sam was pulling her punches - both figuratively and literally - just a little bit. And maybe, just maybe, Freddie was beginning to fight back some? _

_I Don't know, but I couldn't deny the fact that Freddie stared at Sam almost the entire boat ride home from Japan. I did my best to keep Carly's attention away from it, but I'm pretty sure Sam noticed._

_Or maybe I just hoped she did_

"_Yo, Spencer, let's go" Gibby said, waving his hand in front of my face. I realized I had staring off into space with a goofy grin on my face. The mustache man was staring at me sternly and shaking his head. _

"_Oh, yeah, sorry I just kinda…alright, let's go!" I said, and ran out the door. _

"_I still have shotgun! Hey!" Gibby yelled after me. I stopped just short of the car and ran back into the Deluxe Tux, right up to the mustache man, who backed away a step._

"_If I could just touch it really quick, I -"_

"_Out!" the man demanded, pointing to the door._

"_Right!" I said, and bolted back out. Gibby had taken his spot in the front seat and gave me a victorious smile. I stuck my tongue out at him, so he pressed his face to the glass. I looked at him, defeated and impressed._

"_Gibby, could you not get your face all over my window?" I heard Freddie say. Gibby pulled his face back from the glass and stuck his tongue out at me. I quickly returned the gesture and then got into the back seat. As we were pulling out, my Pear phone rang. I answered it quickly._

"_What's up?"_

"_Spencer, where are you guys?" I heard Carly's voice ask. She sounded worried about something._

"_We just picked up Freddie's tux. Why?"_

"_The caterer can't make it!" she blurted out._

"_What? Why?"_

"_He got food poisoning" she explained. While I took a moment to appreciate the irony of that, she continued. "Can you guys stop by the Groovy Smoothie or something?" _

"_I don't think the Groovy Smoothie caters…"_

"_Okay thanks! Hold on…Sam! Stay out of the barbecue ribs!" I could hear Sam yell something back in the background, but I couldn't make it out. Then Carly came back on._

"_I gotta go. Thanks Spencer!" and she was gone. _

"_Uh…you're welcome?" I tapped Freddie on the shoulder. "To the Groovy Smoothie!" _


	5. Hidden Cameras and Bagels

**Chapter Five: Hidden Cameras and Bagels**

"**The Groovy Smoothie?" Freddie asked me, looking at me through the rear-view mirror. **

"**Yeah, Carly said the caterer got sick, so she wants us to pick up some stuff" **

"**Like what? Smoothies and bagels?" **

"**Yeah! Smoothies and bagels!" Gibby exclaimed, drawing looks from both me and Freddie. He just shrugged his shoulders. "Can't a guy enjoy fruity drinks and baked goods?" **

"**Gibby?" Freddie began.**

"**Yeah?"**

"**Are you still seeing that therapist?"**

"**Yeah, why?"**

"**It's not working" Freddie said, drawing another shrug from Gibby. I laughed to myself, then spotted the Groovy Smoothie just ahead.**

"**There it is ! Turn here, turn here!" I said, pointing my hand over Freddie's shoulder at the Smoothie store. **

"**I see it, I see it…okay, get your hand out my face…Spencer I can't…SIT DOWN!" Freddie said, and I slumped back into my seat. **

"**You don't have to be hurtful" I said quietly. We found a parking spot pretty close and rushed to the door. Maybe we rushed too fast, because as we all reached for the door our heads banged together. **

"**OW!" we said simultaneously. After a brief struggle, Freddie opened the door and went in, followed by me and then Gibby. T-Bo was at the counter, cleaning some cups, when Freddie approached. **

"**Hey, T-Bo" Freddie said.**

"**What can I do for ya?" T-Bo asked. **

"**We need smoothies. A lot of smoothies" Freddie answered. **

"**How many smoothies we talking?" T-Bo questioned, raising an eyebrow. Freddie looked back to me and Gibby, then at T-Bo again and took a deep breath.**

"**About…a hundred?" **

"**A hundred smoothies?" T-Bo said, his eyes growing wide.**

"**Yeah, and…" Freddie looked back at Gibby, who nodded eagerly. "Could we get the same number of bagels and donuts? **

**T-Bo stared at Freddie a moment, then set his cup down and began searching around the counter and smoothie machine. When he apparently didn't find what he was looking for, he came around the counter and began checking the tables. **

"**Um…what are you doing?" Freddie asked. T-Bo popped his head up from under a table.**

"**Looking for the Cameras." he said. Freddie looked at me and I shrugged.**

"**Why?" I asked slowly. **

"**I'm being tricked, right? This is for iCarly?"**

"**Um…no." Freddie said. T-Bo stopped searching at stared at us again. **

"**Seriously?" he asked. Me, Freddie and Gibby all nodded. " Well…it'll take me a while…"**

"**We'll wait" I said, and followed T-Bo over to the counter. "How much is that going to be?" I asked, pulling my checkbook out of my jacket. T-Bo started to respond, but stopped. I looked at him curiously, and he motioned for me to come closer. I leaned in, and he whispered the amount in my ear. **

"**Ah! Help!" Gibby screamed as I collapsed onto him. Freddie helped me back up, and I supported myself on the counter. **

"**Y-you're sure?" I asked. T-Bo nodded. "That's a lot" I stated, and began painfully writing the check. **

"**Uh-oh." Gibby said, and me and Freddie turned to him. He was patting his pants pockets, and then his shirt pockets (he had put it back on in the car, amazingly), and his face was pale. **

"**What's wrong?" Freddie asked. Gibby looked at him and smiled innocently. Freddie's face turned to stone. "Oh, no. Tell me you didn't forget it." Freddie said. **

"**It must be in my jacket!" Gibby said. "I think I left it on the fire escape at Bushwell" **

"**Why were you on the fire escape?" Freddie asked.**

"**I like the way the wind blows through my hair up there." Gibby said, like it was obvious. Hmm…I remember a lot about that fire escape…I think I feel another flashback coming….**


	6. Flashback the Third

**A/N: remember, the stuff in italics is the flashback!**

**Chapter Six: Flashback the Third**

_It was a sad, sad time. Not only was I not going to live out my dream of playing for the Seattle Cobras (Carly will tell you I chickened out, but don't believe her!), but no one had heard from Freddie in like a week. You see, Freddie played a prank on Sam, handcuffing her to Gibby - an incident that Gibby still has nightmares about. So, to get him back, Sam revealed to every iCarly viewer that Freddie had never kissed a girl. _

_Freddie took it hard, and I don't blame him. This one time Marla Madson (or as we called her, "Manly Marla") told everyone that we had kissed. Ugh. I had to go to school as 'Estan from Sweden' the rest of the semester. _

_I miss that accent…._

_But that's not the point. The point was, Sam had practically ruined Freddie's life, at least according to Carly. I wasn't so sure. You see, the day that Freddie came home from school early, he came to me. Not really because he wanted to; his mom wasn't home and he had forgot his key, so he just came over to our apartment. But no matter the circumstance, it allowed me to talk to him. At first, not much was said. He just plopped down on the couch and started watching TV. Finally, I decided I needed to talk to him. _

"_Hey Freddie" I said, sitting next to him on the couch. He just grunted and turned up the volume. "Look, I know you're going through a lot, but I want you to know that you can always talk to me." Freddie turned the volume back down and turned toward me. _

"_Why does she have to ruin my life?" he said, and I could sense more than pain in his voice. As soon as he said it, I knew now was my chance to drop a few hints, work a little 'Spencer magic, if you will. _

"_Maybe it's just her way of hiding the truth." I said calmly._

"_Huh?" Okay, maybe he needed more than hints. _

"_Maybe she doesn't hate you. Maybe she just picks on you because she…" _

"_Because she what?" _

"…_likes you" I finished. The look on Freddie's face was a mixture between shock and…well, I'm not sure what else. But it wasn't disgust, it wasn't fear, and it wasn't loathing. Just honest surprise. _

"_Hah!" he finally said. "Sam doesn't like me. She's made that perfectly clear all too often." Freddie turned the volume back up on the TV. I must have hit on something that he was trying to avoid. But he wasn't getting out of it that easy. _

"_Or…" I continued, but Freddie continued to ignore me. "maybe it's just a game you've been playing since the sixth grade, a game that will continue because both of you are too afraid to stop." Freddie turned off the TV and slowly turned towards me. He looked as if he as about to say something, and I leaned forward in anticipation. But instead of speaking, he got up and started toward the door. _

"_Freddie wait!" I said, running after him. I caught him just as he put his hand on the knob. _

"_I want to be alone, Spence"_

"_Yeah, okay… but…" I searched my mind for the right thing to say. Finally, an idea popped into my head and an evil smile spread across my face. Luckily, Freddie had his back turned to me. "I know where you can go. You know, if you want to be really alone." That got his attention. He spun around to face me. _

"_Where?" _

"_The fire escape." Freddie furled his eyebrows. "I used to go there when I didn't want any distractions. Maybe it'll work for you." Freddie looked down at his feet for a second, mulling it over. Then he looked back up, the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. _

"_Thanks, Spence. I'll give it a shot." and then he was gone. I chuckled quietly and closed the door, silently congratulating myself for my brilliant plan, and inwardly hoping it would work. _

_When Carly got home I told her about the little encounter. Well, I didn't tell her what the conversation was about, just that we talked and he went to think out on the fire escape. How was I to know that he would stay there for a week straight? How was I to know that I had led him to the place where he would receive his first kiss? How was I to know that a plan of my own creation would ever work so great?_

_How was I to know that that was only the beginning?_


	7. Cardboard Boxes

**Chapter Seven: Cardboard Boxes**

It only took me and Gibby a couple of minutes to walk over to Bushwell Plaza. I decided to wait in the lobby while Gibby retrieved his jacket, and the important item it held. Luckily, Lewbert was no where to be found, so I stretched out on the couch and waited.

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I remember, I was being beaten over the head with a a pillow. I could hear Gibby's voice between smacks.

"Spencer! Get up! Spencer!"

"Okay, I'm up!" I said, and jumped to my feet. Gibby stared at me with a 'What the heck?' look, then smacked me in the head again. I snatched the pillow from his hand and threw it back on the couch.

"Did you get your jacket?" I said, regaining my composure.

"Yeah, it's right here" Gibby answered, and held up a red blazer as proof. I looked at him quizzically, but he just stood there with a goofy grin.

"_That's your jacket? Dude, what up?" Gibby's smile faded, and he promptly flipped the jacket on. _

"_What? It's stylin…" Gibby said, his smile returning. I stared a moment before a smile spread across my face as well. _

"_You are so right" I admitted. I made a mental note then and there; be sure to get a red blazer. _

_We headed out the door, when I remembered that I had forgot something. Or almost did. Wait, if I remembered it, how did I forget it? Or did I forget to remember? Anyway, I almost didn't remember to not forget, okay?_

"_You sure it's in there?" I asked Gibby. _

"_Right here" he replied, patting his chest pocket. _

"_Alright, let's go." We were back at the Groovy Smoothie in no time. Freddie was staring, jaw-dropped, at the massive pile of bagels T-Bo had laid before him. _

"_Can you at least put them in boxes?" Freddie asked. T-Bo turned slowly toward him._

"_Well, excuse me for not putting them in little packages!" he said, and then went back to frying donuts. _

"_Well, can we have some boxes to put them in?" Freddie said, getting a little agitated._

"_Oh, yeah, there's some in the back." _

"_I'll get 'em!" I chirped in, and ran for the back room. About half-way there my foot found something wet and slippery and practically flew out from under me. I landed on my back. Hard. T-Bo walked over and placed a wet floor sign by my head. _

"_Sorry. I would have done it earlier, but somebody" he looked at Freddie. "was in a hurry to get their order."_

"_Yeah, and I still am." Freddie said, obviously nervous and on the edge of panic. T-Bo rolled his eyes and went back to work, mumbling under his breath. _

"_No, no. I'm fine." I moaned, still laying prone on the floor. "I'll just…I'll just lie here for a while." _

"_Don't worry, I'll get the boxes." Gibby said, and I saw him step over me as he made his way to the back room. I managed to get up on my feet just as Gibby was coming back through with an armload of boxes. The resulting collision sent cubical cardboard skittering across the floor of the Groovy Smoothie, and me and Gibby tumbling down. Gibby jumped back up to his feet, shook his head, and gathered the boxes. I figured I'd just stay down for a while. _

"_Oh, man ,this isn't going to work." I heard Freddie say. By now he was pacing the floor, mumbling to and pulling at his hair, occasionally stopping to take a nervous sip of a smoothie. Something about that scene seemed familiar. _

"_This is crazy!" Freddie continued. "There's no way this will happen." That was it! I remembered now! I knew what was coming, so I just close my eyes and slipped into another flashback…_


	8. Four Times the Flashback!

**Chapter Eight: Four times the Flashback!**

"_There's no way this will happen." Freddie said, pacing the room of the apartment. Sam and Carly were upstairs rehearsing, and I had come out of my room (where I was working on a 'special' project) to grab some more snackage. I slowed up as I saw Freddie nervously walking back and forth, wringing his hands and mumbling to himself. _

"_Uh, Freddie" I interjected. Huh, that thesaurus I bought is really paying off. "Is something wrong?" _

"_Oh, uh…hey Spence.." Freddie stumbled out, coming to a stop. "No, I just…" He scratched the back of his head, choosing his next words carefully. I took the opportunity to move over next to him._

"_Do you remember when you said I could ask you about anything?" he asked._

"_Of course. Is there something you need to talk about?" _

"_Well, yeah, it's…" He glanced to the stairwell and then dragged me into the kitchen. "It's about this girl…" he continued in a whisper. _

"_Oooo, a lady!" I said_

"_Shh! Not so loud!" Freddie said, covering my mouth with his hand and taking another nervous look at the stairs and elevator. _

"_So who is she?" I said, as soon as Freddie uncovered my mouth. "Is it Carly?" _

"_That's the thing. For once, it's someone else." I tried to contain the smile I could feel trying to force its way onto my face. _

"_But I've liked her for a while now. I just don't know if she likes me back." Freddie admitted. _

"_Have you asked her?"_

"_No."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Why not? Because she would…" Freddie said a little loud, but caught himself. Then in a lower voice, he went on. "Because I'm too afraid. Too afraid she'll say no." _

_I turned away a moment, pretending to be lost in thought but really just using this time to let my smile finally be free. I had the overwhelming feeling he was talking about Sam. Just something about the look in his eye reminded me of how he looked at her when he thought no one was paying attention. I decided now was the time to provide a little push. _

"_Well, I think the best thing you can do is just go for it." I said, walking over to the couch and turning back to face him. _

"_Really?" he asked, following with a prominent gulp. _

"_Yeah. I mean, you'll never know for sure until you try. And girls respect guys with the courage to ask them." Well, I wasn't making it up, but this applied double in this case. _

_Freddie pondered on it a moment. He stared at his feet, his hands in his pockets, wrestling with the idea in his mind. He finally looked up and walked over to me. _

"_You're sure this will work?" he said._

"_There's only one way to find out."_

_Freddie nodded and slapped my shoulder in thanks, and then bounded up the stairs. I smiled again and headed for the fridge. I was bent over and searching for the leftover ribs that had seemingly disappeared, when I heard Carly's voice behind me._

"_Spencer!" she yelled, causing me to bang my head on the inside of the fridge. I groaned and slowly stood up. _

"_Yeah?" _

"_Freddie just asked Sam out!" she said, her eyes full of disbelief and the slightest hint of fear. _

"_Okay." I said. Seeing Carly's confused look, I quickly threw my arms up. "I mean, WHAAAT?"_

"_Freddie just ran into the studio and asked Sam out!"_

"_Wow! What did she say?"_

"_I don't know! I left as soon as he asked because I thought there would be blood! You've gotta go help Freddie!" she said, practically irate. I was about to respond when the elevator opened and out stepped Freddie and Sam - holding hands. Carly's jaw dropped._

"_Oh my god!" is all she could say. I just smiled. Okay, so it was a big push. But my plan worked!_


	9. The Man Who Knew

**Chapter Nine: The Man Who Knew**

**I finally managed to drag my body off the slick floor of the Groovy Smoothie just as T-Bo was finishing up the last batch of donuts. Gibby and Freddie had loaded everything in boxes that were scattered about on tables chairs - just everywhere. **

"**There's no way all this stuff is going to fit in your car" I said to Freddie. He smirked and looked at me confidently. **

"**I know. I called principal Franklin and he's coming by to help us." **

"**Freddie, you're not in high school anymore. You don't have to call him principal Franklin anymore." I said, tussling his hair. He pulled away. **

"**Yeah, but it just feels too weird to call him Ted, you know?" Before I could respond, I heard the unmistakable 'ding' as Ted Franklin entered the Groovy Smoothie. He was wearing a rather impressive black tux with a red bowtie and cumber bun, and was smiling ear to ear. Seemed like he was excited for the big day!**

'**Teddy!" Gibby cried and ran over to take the unsuspecting Mr. Franklin in a bear hug. Frddie went to his aid and they managed to pry Gibby away. **

"**So, is this everything?" Ted said, dusting off his Tux and looking around at the piles of boxes.**

"**Yeah, all these boxes need to go. By the way, thanks for doing this" Freddie replied.**

"**Oh, I'm glad to help" Ted answered, patting Freddie on the shoulder. "Especially on a day liked today!" Freddie offered a week smile from behind red cheeks, then clapped his hands and jogged over to a nearby box of bagels,**

"**Well, lets load 'em up!" he said. The next twenty minutes were pretty boring with me, Freddie, Gibby and Ted moving the boxes from the Groovy Smoothie into the refrigerated truck that Ted had rented. Gibby had to be 'rescued' when a stack of bagel boxes landed on him, but the rest was pretty uneventful. As soon as we loaded the last of the smoothies onto the truck, my phone rang again. **

"**Yello?" I answered it. **

"**Spencer, are you guys there yet?" I heard Carly's frantic voice shouting out.**

"**We're just about to head over there. Did you finally get Sam under control?" **

"**Yeah, for now, but she's getting restless. Do you guys have the food and everything?"**

"**We did our best. So I'll see you there?" **

"**Okay, we'll be there in a- SAM! I told you, no more pudding! Sorry, Spence, see you there." **

"**Kay, later" I took a moment to chuckle at Sam. Today would definitely get very interesting. I jumped into the passenger side of the refrigerated truck as Ted was starting it up. Freddie and Gibby got into Freddie's car, and we followed them out. **

"**Did you ever think you'd see this day?" Ted asked me after we had been driving a few minutes.**

"**What do you mean?" **

"**I mean, it's almost as if everyone knew, but still never imagined…"**

"**Yeah, it is pretty amazing." I said, a smile spreading on my face.**

"**And I know who we can all thank." Ted replied, turning a knowing eye towards me. Wait, did he know? How could he know? I mean, I never said anything to anybody, and I was really careful. Okay, get a hold of yourself Spencer, maybe he doesn't know. Say something to throw him off. **

"**Who? Carly?" I said, raising a quizzical eyebrow. Ted chuckled to himself but didn't answer. Oh great. He knew. **

**Of course, if anyone would know, it would be him. I wasn't exactly as subtle as I usually was when I approached him that one fateful day. I leaned my head against the window as the events of that day flooded back to me. If you guessed that I was heading for another flashback, you guessed right. **


	10. Can You Say Flashback

Chapter Ten: Can You Say Flashback?

"_**Whatever, I'm outta here" Sam said, stomping over to the apartment door. She stopped to shoot one more threat back Freddie's way. "And don't call me". Then she was gone. **_

_**Freddie was silent, a hurt and confused look on his face. Sure, him and Sam had had many fights since they started dating, but no more so than before they were together. But this one was different. This one was big. They had been fighting through most of the week, and now I was wondering if this was the end of them - and possibly the end of iCarly. **_

"_**I think I'll.." Freddie began, finally breaking his silence. Me and Carly exchanged a worried glance as his voice trailed off and whatever he was about to say was lost in a storm of mixed emotions. Instead, he just shook his head and left. **_

_**I spent the rest of the afternoon assuring Carly that everything would be alright while mentally trying to piece my plan back together. I wasn't going to let those two end on something so stupid as a stolen Pearpod (long story). Whatever it took, I was going to fix this. There was just one teeny little problem. **_

_**I needed help. **_

_**Now, by all means I am an extremely smart - and handsome - human specimen, but some jobs just required an extra head. I couldn't turn to Carly like I usually would; she was too stressed out by all this to think straight. Besides, she had a lot more than this on her plate at the time, with her SATs fast approaching and her own boy troubles. I briefly considered going to Socko, but let's just say he's way better at making awesome socks than he is with relationships. **_

_**The answer hit me like a Seattle Cobras' linebacker. I could definitely get Freddie to open up to me, but Sam was a different story. The only people she really let in were Carly and Freddie, though there was one other person who had somehow become a close friend as well. No doubt as a result of all the time they spent together in his office. **_

_**I approached one Principal Theodore Franklin early one Monday afternoon. I explained the situation, and how I believed that a little 'couple's counseling' of sorts was needed. We devised a plan - a plan within a plan - to get them to stop all this fighting. Every day I would speak with Freddie after school and Ted would speak with Sam during school. All we had to do was make it seem like it was all just coincidence. Ted had no trouble finding reasons to call Sam to the office, and somehow I kept 'bumping' into Freddie outside his apartment. I felt like a spy on a mission: a mission of love. **_

_**The final stage of the plan was to have them 'accidentally' meet at the Groovy Smoothie on Saturday. By then all would have been worked out and things would go back to normal. Well, the plan was going smoothly until that last stage. They had really opened up to me and Ted and we were sure that all the drama was finally over. But one Smoothie down Freddie's pants and a lot of yelling later, things were looking bleak. Thank goodness Carly and Gibby showed up, taking a break from cramming for the SATs. **_

_**It was there that we all had a mini-intervention. Everyone was real up front about how they felt, and by the end of it Sam and Freddie were sobbing apologies to each other. I couldn't help but cry a few tears of joy myself. It was that day, seeing the way that blond-haired girl and brown-haired boy stared at each other, hearing the way their voices trembled when they spoke to one another, and how afraid they were of their true feelings, that I knew: these two were special. **_

"_**Well, here we are." I heard Ted's voice and realized I had slumped forward in my seat, my forehead resting against the window. I looked up at the grand building in front of me. There were a few decorations on the outside, and I'm sure the inside looked amazing. Carly was in charge, after all. People were just beginning to arrive, though the parking lot was still pretty empty.**_

_**I climbed out of the truck and helped Ted unload the smoothies, donuts and bagels. We didn't say a word, though both of our faces wore a smile. The energy of this day was finally getting to me; my arms were tingling, almost numb. **_

"_**Spencer, you're dripping!" Ted said, tapping my shoulder. I looked down to find one of the smoothie cups had busted and I was getting banana-blueberry blitz all over my arm. So much for energy of the day. I excused myself and headed for the back room where Freddie was getting ready to clean myself off. As I walked in, Gibby was standing by the door, shaking his head. Freddie was no where to be found. I looked at Gibby and shrugged my shoulders, a silent question of "What's going on?". Gibby sighed. **_

"_**We have a problem, Spence."**_


	11. Guy Talks

**Chapter Eleven: Guy Talks**

"Where's Freddie?" I asked Gibby, the slightest hint of panic beginning to set in. He pointed towards the bathroom door, which was shut tight, then shook his head again.

"He just freaked out all of a sudden. I tried to calm him down, but he shoved me away and locked himself in the bathroom." Gibby paused to let out a deep breath. "It was intense."

"Yeah. I bet…" I said, my voice trailing off as I took in the magnitude of the situation. I suddenly ran over to the door and began banging on it.

"FREDDIE!"

"Freddie's not here, go away" came a muffled cry from behind the door. I tried to open the door by jiggling the door handle a bit, but that never works. I began to wish I had taken Sam up on that offer to learn how to pick locks. After a few more feeble attempts, I slumped down in front of the door, deciding it would be better just to talk through it.

"Look, Freddie, I know you're nervous, and that's natural" I began. I paused to see if Freddie would respond, but he remained silent. I continued, "but it's that fear, that indescribable feeling you get right in the pit of your stomach, that lets you know that this is real."

"Wow…that was deep" I heard Gibby say from his spot by the door.

"Shhh!" I responded. "I'm trying to have a serious conversation!"

"Well excuse me!" Gibby said sarcastically, throwing his arms in the air. "I'm gonna go help Teddy with the food…" he huffed, and walked out the door. I sighed and leaned my head back against the door, when I finally heard Freddie speak up.

"Hey, Spence?"

"Yeah?" I answered, hope returning to my voice.

"Is Gibby gone?"

"Yeah"

"Well…. Thanks for trying to help me. I'm not sure about this anymore…" his voice trailed off and I could swear he was holding back tears.

"What is there not to be sure about? You made it this far."

"I know but…." his voice cracked and he paused to compose himself. "I know, but I'm so scared of the future." This all sounded so familiar. I felt as if I had already had this conversation.

"Look, none of us knows what will happen in our future. And we can't change what happened in our past. But we can control what happens in our present." Freddie was quiet for a moment. I didn't hear any sobs, any movement, anything at all; just silence.

"You just have to ask yourself…" I continued. "What do you want more than anything right _now?" I finally heard movement behind the door, and finally I heard Freddie messing with the lock. I sprang to my feet and before I knew it, the door was open and a red-eyed Freddie was standing in its place. Slowly, a smile spread across his face. I furled my eyebrows curiously._

"_What?"_

"_Spencer, how do you always know exactly what to say?" _

"_I guess I'm not as dumb as everyone thinks" Freddie laughed at that, the first time he had laughed since this morning. I opened my arms, and after a moment of hesitation, he came over and we hugged. It seemed everything would be just fine after all._

_This wasn't the first time I had given such a talk, oh no. One incident in particular comes to mind. It was a similar decision, with similar stakes, and involving the same brown-haired boy. _

_So while Freddie dries his eyes and fixes his tux, and I 'help' by not touching anything, please allow me to fade into another flashback…_

_Bet you didn't see that one coming._


	12. It puts the “Ack!” in Flashback

**Chapter Twelve: It puts the "Ack!" in Flashback**

_ Things had been pretty hectic the last few days, with talks of college floating through the air while we all waited for those letters of acceptance to come. Sam was the only one who didn't seem on edge, and why should she? She had already landed her dream job as a very popular local food critic, thanks in part to the web show. Carly, on the other hand, couldn't stop stressing over whether she would get in to Washington State University. I wanted to tell her to calm down, but I had learned my lesson from the last time I tried that. _

_ Freddie was the worst of all. For the past week he had been thoroughly freaking out, hardly talking, eating or sleeping unless we made him. Somehow his seemed different. I mean, Freddie graduated valedictorian, did amazing on his SATs, plenty of extracurricular activities; what did he have to worry about? It wasn't until he started avoiding Sam that I began to suspect something more was the problem. _

_ I found the opportunity to talk to him one afternoon when Carly had drug Sam to the mall and Freddie was over working on a new computer program for iCarly. I saw him working nervously on his laptop, stopping occasionally to run his hands through his hair. I tapped on the studio door. _

_ "Oh, hey Spence" he said, turning briefly to acknowledge me and then turning his eyes back to the monitor. I entered and shut the door behind me - no telling how long Carly could manage to keep Sam at the mall. I had to be quick, so I jumped right into it. _

_ "Hey, has something been bothering you?" I asked. Freddie stopped working and stared blankly ahead. _

_ "Yeah, it's just this whole college thing…" he said, less than convincingly. _

_ "Is that all?" I pressed. Freddie didn't respond so I clarified. "There's no way they won't accept you. We all know that."_

_ "Well everyone gets nervous about this, no matter what their chances are." Freddie huffed. I let him take a few breaths before I hit him with the next line. _

_ "You've been avoiding Sam." Freddie whipped his head around, his face red with anger. "You never do that. There's something your not telling us." Freddie suddenly found the floor fascinating and simply stared at it for a long while. It looked as if he wanted to say something, but the words were caught in his throat. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You can tell me anything, remember?"_

_ Freddie finally lifted his head and looked me in the eye. He was holding back tears, I could tell. I let him take his time, knowing that whatever it was that was on his mind would be tough enough to say without me pressuring him. _

_ "I don't want to go to Harvard" he finally said. That's it?_

_ "That's it?" _

_ "You don't understand," Freddie choked out, wiping a tear from his eye. "I only applied there because my mom wanted me to. I want to go to Seattle Tech…."_

_ "Then go there instead. Your mom will unders - "_

_ "That's not it!" Freddie interrupted, rather harshly. "If I get accepted to Harvard but don't go, Sam will think I decided not to go because of her. She'll think she's holding me back." he finished out of breath and with a weak voice. _

_ "Have you talked to her about this?" I asked. _

_ "No. That's why I've been avoiding her. I don't know how to tell her." _

_ I moved over next to Freddie and put my arm around him. "Look, if there's one thing I know, it's that the basis of every relationship is communication. If you can't tell Sam how you really feel, then things are doomed to fail." I paused to choose my next words carefully. "And I know Sam will understand. She didn't have a lot of people she could trust when she was growing up. But she's always trusted you."_

_ Freddie was very quiet for a long time, drying his eyes and lost in thought. Then he suddenly stood, a slight smile evident on his lips. "Spencer, how do you always know exactly what to say?"_

_ I stood up as well, a goofy grin on my face. "Well," I began, then furled my eyebrows. "I don't know." We both laughed and decided to go to the Groovy Smoothie. Carly and Sam were there. He did tell her, she did understand, and I couldn't help but be proud of myself for working this all out. _

_ And I couldn't help but smile at how perfectly my plan was working. _


	13. The Almost Escape

**Chapter Thirteen: The (Almost) Escape**

"Spencer!" I heard Carly's voice piercing through my daydreaming, causing me to trip over a chair and tumble onto the floor. Freddie hardly noticed, or maybe he was just playing it smart, as he beat a hasty retreat back into the bathroom as the footsteps from the hall got closer. As I picked my poor body - which had really taken too much of a beating today - up off the floor, the door swung open. Carly stood there, her hair a mess and eyes wide.

"Spencer, we have a problem!"

"That seem to be the theme today…" I responded, rubbing my sore arm. "What is it now?"

"Just come on!" Carly said, and before I could say anything more she was dragging me down the hall and shoving me into another room.

"Carly! What's going on?" I managed to yell before the door was slammed in my face. I tried the handle - locked. What was her problem. I sighed and turned around to face the rest of the room and stared at the odd scene before me.

There, hanging out the window, was a big billowing white dress, with two legs sticking out ending in red and white sneakers. I guess the whole high-heeled thing didn't go over too well. The form was grunting and struggling, obviously stuck, and let out a frustrated banshee scream as I took a cautious step forward.

"Uh…Sam?" I finally said, not sure how to break the tension in this sort of situation.

"Spencer? Is that you?" she spat at me. I was just thankful she was stuck in the window.

"Yeah, it's me. Look, I - "

"Did Carly get you? Oh man, when I get out of here I swear I'm gonna…" her thoughts trailed off as she began to thrash around, desperately trying to get unstuck. Then, in possibly the most daring act I had ever attempted, I grabbed hold of the frantic blonde's ankles and gave a tug. A wave of white cloth and flying fists rolled over me as we tumbled onto the floor. Sam was quick to her feet and made a break for the door, only to find it locked. She tried making a run for the window, but I managed to cut her off.

"Move, unless you want your legs broken" she threatened. I stood my ground, though in all honesty I was terrified.

"No. Look, why are you trying to get out? What are you running from?" Her eyes narrowed and she glared at me in a rather unsettling way for longer than was comfortable. Though I could feel my knees beginning to shake, I managed to return her stare with my stern, brotherly, concerned look. At least I hoped that's what it looked like. Eventually, the intensity in Sam's eyes began to fade away, and I could see the tears beginning to well up.

"This!" She choked out, grabbing a handful of the poofy white fabric and holding it up for me to see. My looked turned from concerned to quizzical. "This is just…. I don't know, just not me." So that's what this was about; all the pageantry that has surrounded this event. I should have seen this earlier.

"Nobody says you have to wear that." I replied calmly. I was really getting good at this whole advice thing. Maybe I should have been a psychiatrist. Dr. Shay. Yeah, that has a ring to it.

"Carly put so much into this. She made everything so beautiful, so…so…"

"So Carly?" I said, drawing a questioning look from Sam. I pulled her over to the two large chairs that had been pushed to the side of the room and we sat down. "I mean, yeah. Carly did an amazing job planning all of this. But how much of this was her and how much of it was what _you _wanted?"

Sam was silent. She bowed her head and dried the last few tears from her eyes. I jumped up suddenly, a huge smile erupting on my face.

"I've got it!" I said, and Sam looked back up on me, not able to hide her excitement as the corners of her lips also turned upwards.

"Why don't you just wear your normal clothes? And I'll tell Freddie to do the same!"

"But won't Carly get mad?"

"She'll understand! She's your best friend. And besides, this is your day, right?" Sam rushed over and attacked me with a fierce hug.

"Thank you, Spencer. Now get out, I've gotta change!" I chuckled at her newfound enthusiasm and pulled out my phone to tell Carly that everything was better. As I made my way back to Freddie's room, I couldn't help but recall how true Ted was when he said he knew who to thank. This wouldn't be happening if not for me. I think one more flashback will explain how.


	14. The Final Flashback

**Chapter Fourteen: The Final Flashback**

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!_

_I heard the familiar sound coming from the other side of my door just as I was putting the finishing touches on my rubber duck sculpture. I dropped my paintbrush, which unfortunately landed in my bowl of grapes - aw…. - and jogged over to answer the door. I swung it open and Freddie strolled in. _

"_Oh hey Freddie," I said. "Sam and Carly aren't here, they went to Build-a-Bra." _

"_I know." Freddie said, plopping down on the couch. He reached for the bowl of grapes but stopped just before getting a handful of yellow paint. _

"_Uh, Spence?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Your grapes are yellow." He chuckled and gave me that signature Freddie smirk. _

"_Yeah, it's for my duck!" I pointed toward the four-foot sculpture behind him and he just looked at me in confusion. Some people just don't understand great art. "Anyway, what are doing over here?" _

_Freddie's face grew serious all of a sudden. He sighed and looked at his feet before finally saying "I need to ask you something." _

_Inside, I flipped the switch to Dr. Spencer mode and took a seat next to him on the couch. "Sure, what is it?" _

"_Well, me and Sam have been together for a while now…"_

"_I know, like eight years!"_

"_Right…anyway, I just thought that now was the time to take things to the next level."_

"_Oh my God, you're gonna propose." I said evenly. Freddie nodded yes. I tried to contain my excitement - honest, I did. But the magnitude of the moment combined with the joy of my plan coming to fruition overwhelmed me._

"_Yeah!" I yelled, jumping up onto the coffee table and doing a dance I was unaware I knew how to do. Freddie looked on in disbelief until I jumped back down and pulled him up off the couch and hit him with a barrage of questions._

"_When? Where? How? Come on, give me the deets!"_

"_I don't know" he said._

"_What?"_

"_I don't know…that's why I came here." The excitement quickly fading, we both sat back down. We began to discuss things, the how's and where's and when's. We both agreed that the traditional fairy-tale proposal wasn't in the equation. Sam wasn't like other girls. We brainstormed for hours, trying to figure out the best way to be romantic without being TOO romantic. _

"_I've got it!" I exclaimed, an idea so simple and brilliant popping into my head. Freddie eagerly asked for me to explain, and I went on to describe my plan in detail. We both agreed that it was nothing short of perfect. We worked out the details, and Freddie left to mentally prepare. _

_And what was this brilliant plan, you ask? Well, first of all, there was a big MMA fight this weekend, so that would be the beginning. Sam loved MMA fights, and Freddie was also, surprisingly, a big fan. After the fight, Freddie would take Sam to the new restaurant that opened downtown called Hamalot. I think that part is pretty self-explanatory. The next part was tricky. I was supposed to text Freddie telling him there was an emergency and he needed to get here quick. They would rush over to Bushwell and Freddie would text me back asking where, to which I would simply respond 'Fire Escape'. When they get there, it will be set up exactly as it was on that one fateful day when the two shared their first kiss. And that is where Fredward Benson would propose to Samantha Puckett. _

_I wish I knew all the details of that day. I wish I could have seen the way Sam reacted, first to an amazing fight, then to mountains of ham, then to a fake emergency, and finally I would have most liked to have seen her reaction when they stepped out on that fire escape and her thoughts went racing back to the first time she was there. I would have loved to see her face when Freddie pulled the ring out of his pocket. _

_And I would have loved to see the look on both their faces when she said yes. _


	15. Important Note!

**Important Author's note!!!**

**Okay, sorry to interrupt the story like this, especially so close to the end! There is one more amazing chapter that will be posted in the next week or so. **

**Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for all the favorites and reviews! Now, I have a favor to ask of you!**

**I have a couple of stories planned out already, one where Spencer and Gibby take the S.S. Placeholder to the open seas and one where Freddie punches someone out! (spoiler alert: it rhymes with tiffin)**

**But I wanted to ask you guys if you think I should do a spin-off story for one of the flashbacks. So, if there's a flashback or any other part of the story you would like to see in full detail or from a different perspective, just let me know! I'll see what I can do!**

**Again, thanks for all the support! You guys have been great! Just keep sending those reviews!**


	16. Of Meat and Marble

**Well, here it is! The final Chapter! **

**I hope you had as much fun reading this as I did writing it**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Of Meat and Marble**

The moment was finally here.

All those years of planning, organizing (which was nothing short of a miracle for me), listening to and solving problems - it all was about to pay off. Sam and Freddie were getting married.

The ceremony went about as well as anyone could have hoped. Carly freaked out at first over Freddie and Sam wearing their normal clothes, but understood once I explained the situation. Gibby took it as his cue to promptly remove his shirt, though he left on his tie, cuffs and cumber bun. Something's not quite right with that one…

Sam insisted that I walk her down the aisle, saying that I had been the closest thing to a father figure she had. I really couldn't disagree. I had always looked at Sam like a sister, and definitely cared about her as such. It felt only natural to be the one giving her away.

Especially since I was behind it all.

I won't go into to much detail on the ceremony, mostly because I zoned out not too far into it thinking about what I would say when I gave my toast. Mrs. Benson cried her head off, Carly had a huge smile on her face the entire time, and everyone laughed when Gibby had to retrieve his jacket that had the rings in the pocket. That's about all I remember until 'You may now kiss the bride'.

It took longer than I would have liked to get everyone settled down for the reception. Eventually Ted stood up and demanded silence in a booming voice, and the room fell hush. There was an awkward moment of silence, then I slowly stood up.

"Uh…I would like to make a toast…" I said, tapping my fork against my glass. I guess I tapped a teeny bit too hard because the glass shattered into a million bits on the third tap. Well, at least I had everyone's attention.

"Um…first I want to apologize for taking the life of that innocent glass.." there were laughs throughout the room. "Yeah, I knew you'd chuckle…anyway, I'd like to say a few words about the happy couple. My friends, Sam and Freddie. " I looked over to them and grinned. Their faces were beaming. At least Freddie's was. Sam's was already buried in a piece of ham. Some things never change.

"Over the years, I've come to see these two as family - mostly because they always seemed to be on my couch." More laughter…man, I was killing! "You were my little sister's best friends, and became some of my closest friends too. Knowing you and watching you grow has been an amazing experience I wouldn't trade for the world, not even if a magic meatball told me to. You've made my life fun, which is all anyone can ask for. So here's to Sam and Freddie for being the best family a guy could have!"

I raised my broken glass and everyone else joined, clinking their drinks together and voicing their agreement.

"Wait!" I suddenly yelled, causing more than one drink to be spilled. Oops…gotta work on my timing. Everyone looked up at me, just standing there with a broken glass in my outstretched hand.

"I have one more thing!" I ran through the doors in the back of the room to the back doors of the church. I saw Socko waving to me, standing beside something large draped in a blue cloth. Great, he made it! With no time for greetings I simply nodded and we pushed the large mystery structure into the main room. Most people stared, some people whispered to one another, and Sam, Freddie, Carly and Gibby just gawked.

When me and Socko finally got the thing to the front, I looked up at Freddie and Sam, a big goofy grin on my face.

"What _is _that?" Freddie asked.

'This…" I said, patting the structure on the side. "Is my wedding present to you guys." Sam and Freddie shared a nervous glance.

"Well, show us what's under there already!" Sam said, and a cheer of agreement rose up through the crowd.

I looked at Socko and mouthed 'On three'. He nodded to show that he understood. I counted out loud, taking a hold of the cloth covering this marvelous work of art.

"One….Two…Three!" There was a ubiquitous gasp as the cloth fell to the floor revealing a ten-foot marble statue of Sam and Freddie. The detail, I admit, was astounding. The stone Sam was sitting on a pile of various meats and holding a Pearpod. Freddie's marble double was likewise seated on a mountain of computers and clutching a piece of fried chicken. They were leaning forward in a kiss. It was no wonder the room was suddenly very, very quiet.

Sam and Freddie were the first to move closer, getting an all-around view of my work. Carly was next, followed by Gibby, then Ted, then many others. Finally everyone had a good look and cleared a space around the giant sculpture where only me, Sam, Freddie and Carly stood.

"Spencer…how long did it take you to make this?" Carly asked, still staring at the sculpture.

"Oh, I don't know. Like eleven years, I guess."

"And how come I've never seen it?" she pressed.

"Well, I kept it in my room and only worked on it when you were at school. That's why I never allowed you in my room." I explained. I looked over at Freddie. Uh-Oh. He had his thinking face on.

"Wait." Freddie said, his eyebrows furling. "That's when iCarly started."

"Yeah? So?"

"Sooo…." Freddie continued. I didn't like where this was going. "Me and Sam didn't even start dating until three years _after _iCarly started." Okay, I really didn't like where this was going.

"What's your point?" I said as calmly as I could. Which, in retrospect, wasn't very calm.

"Did you know that Sam and Freddie would end up together?" Carly said ,taking a step forward. I took a step back to match, shrinking away from the question.

"I, uh…don't understand the question?" Yeah. Real smooth, Spence.

"Hey wait…" Freddie said, his thinking face back on. "You _were _the one who told me about the fire escape."

"And you told me that's where Freddie was!" Carly added.

'Um…Coincidence?" I stuttered out. But Freddie was relentless. Curse his analytical brain!

"Aaaaand…. _you were the one who talked me into asking Sam out in the first place!"_

"_To be fair, I didn't know you were talking about Sam…" This was getting bad._

"_And, if I recall correctly, you came up with the plan to stop their first big fight." Ted said, stepping forward from the crowd. Great, even he was getting involved. _

"_And wasn't it you who convinced me I was making the right choice by staying in Seattle for college?" Freddie asked. _

"_Well, you see, those things can be explained…"_

"_And you helped me come up with how I proposed to Sam!" That last question hung in the air. All eyes were on us. I honestly didn't know how to respond to that one. I had to admit it to myself - I was caught. All that planning, all that time and effort - everything was being figured out. I decided it was best if I just came clean._

"_Alright, alright! Yes! It was all me!" another audible gasp from the crowd. This was beginning to feel like a daytime drama. Not that I watch those or anything._

"_But, why…" Carly began, but I cut her off._

"_Look, I could tell how much Sam and Freddie really liked each other before they knew it themselves. I decided that they needed a little push in the right direction. Then that push turned into a shove, then the shove turned into this intricate plan I couldn't let fail. I mean, come on, you have to admit that this is my masterpiece."_

"_So you did all of this just for a stupid sculpture?" Carly said, pointing at the marble statue it took me years to create. I looked at her in confusion._

"_What? A sculpture? No!" I moved over behind Freddie and Sam, wrapping my arms around their shoulders. _

"_THIS!" I exclaimed, pulling them into a tight hug. "Is my masterpiece!"_


End file.
